Answer to the previous letter. He acknowledges receipt of the books, also sends a New Year's tale and indicates that he stands by his decision with respect to the Cardinal at Mainz. (Cf. No. 2487.)
From the Cod. Servestan, mitgetheilt von Prof. Lindner zu Dessau, in the theol. Studien und Kritiken von 1835, p. 352; in De Wette-Seidemann, vol. VI, p. 221 and in the Erlanger Ausgabe, vol. 56, p. XLIV.
Georgio principi ab Anhalt etc.
G. and peace in Christ. Sublime, highborn prince, gracious lord! D. Augustinus has handed over to me E. F. G.'s writing together with the books, and as soon as I overread or overlook them (for Cöllen is a large city and a large thing), E. F. G. shall have them back without delay. I have also taken the Reinick vou Vos 1) from D. Jonas. But because I am sitting here idle and in vain this evening, it occurred to me that E. F. G. had told me about Magister Forcheim, 2) how he had prayed: "The devil will make everything alright; [then] I should send E. F. G. a Concordance at the same hour. F. G. a concordance for his amusement, but because I got into other thoughts from E. F. G.'s words, I forgot it, and herewith I want to report it to E. F. G. for the new year. It has happened since he was my guest the closest (as I then
1) It would probably like to read: "Reinicken Vos" or "Reinick den Vos".
2) Georg Held von Forchheim.
I would have liked to have him as my guest, if he thought me worthy), when he left me, shook my hand and said a friendly word, I told him to go out of the parlor door, so he came out of the door in the maid's room. 3) I was surprised about this, and he came out to me again and apologized diligently. When I was surprised about this, he came out to me again and apologized diligently, saying that he had done it more than that before, and had come to the landlady's chamber early in the morning, tapped and almost grabbed the soft cheeses, as he would have confessed to E. F. G. further. I had to write this to E. F. G., because I also had a good evening, as a concordance to atone for my forgetfulness.
For the Cardinal's sake, I reported all sorts of things to D. Augustin all sorts of things, which I cannot write so briefly. Summa, they want it, God has blinded and hardened them, he will help us as he will do. Therefore, for the sake of this decision of mine, it will become neither colder nor warmer. They will do what they have decided, even if we worship them and carry them on our hands. So go one with the other. Hereby commanded to the dear God. Et oremus in ecclesia pro ecclesia, et cum ecclesia. Christus vivit et regnat [And let us pray in the Church, for the Church, and with the Church. Christ lives and reigns]. They do not believe this, quia volunt experiri [for they want to know]. Secunda Januarii 1539.
E. F. G. williger
No. 2497.